Air cleaner



June 10, 1930. VR E, wATRQUs 1,762,493

AIR CLEANER Qrgnal Filed April 28. 1926 Patented June 10, 1930 IRQY E. 'WATROUS, 0F EVANSTDN, ILLINOIS .un CLEANER application inea April 2s, 192e, serai No. 105,099. Renewed Angine 1, 1927.

The invention relates to air cleaners.

The object of the invention is to provide an air cleaner for connection to air intakes of internal combustion engines, compressors and the like, which is of a new and simple construction and can be produced at a low cost.

The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by the claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawing: Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a. device embodying the invention. F ig. 2 is a section taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

The invention is exemplified in a device which is adapted to be attached to the intake pipe 3 leading to the carburetor of an niternal combustion engine and which is subjected to suction so that air will be drawn therethrough. The device comprises a nip.

ple or tubular element 4 which hasits lower end screw-threaded, as at 5, to the upper open end of pipe 3. This nipple is preferably formed of a casting and provided with four integral lugs or arms 6 which project radially therefrom to support a hood 7. Screws 6a extend through the hood and iXedly secure the latter to said arms. This hood is preferably formed if thin or sheet metal and comprises a closed top 7a and an annular depending wall 7b. The lower end of this hood is open and the lower end of said annular wall is spaced from the periphery of the nipple to form an annular space 8 through which air 3b may be sucked into the hood from below. A lcfiector ring 9 has an axial flange 9d which tits around the upper end of nipple 4 and is ixedly secured thereon. Said ring is slitted radially, as at 9b to form defiector blades 9c which are bent obliquely to the axis of the hood and nipple to form a series of deflectors against which the air, drawn into the hood through the annular space 8, will impact and be deflected into a circular or helical path. The outer ends of deflectors 9 terminate inwardly of the inner periphery of wall 7b to leave a space 8L through which the particles caught from the air may fall out of the hood. Above the deflectprs 9, the annular wall of the hood is iiaredoutwardly,

as at 7, to form a zone which is outside of the path of travel of the air in transit from the annular opening 8 to the upper end of the nipple 4.

The operation of the improved cleaner will be as follows: The'suction from the engine will draw the air upwardly through the aunular space 8 between the lower end of the hood and `the nipple. Inits upward passage, the air will strike the deflectors 9c which are inclined relatively to the axis of the hood and nipple 4 and cause the air to travel in a circular path. When the air is thus deflected, the particles therein, which are usually of greater specific gravity, will be projected outwardly by centrifugal force toward the annular wall of the hood, while the air will be drawn inwardly toward the axis of the nipple 4 and thence into the suction pipe 3. In practice, it has been found'that impurities or particles in the air which are projected outwardly against the wall 7 b will remain close to the wall, and when the suction drops, as the result of the inotor being stopped, the impurities will drop out of the hood through the clear space 8a between the ends of the defiectors 9c and the inner periphery of the wall 7*. The flared portion 7c provides a zone which is outside of the suction path, so that the particles projected against the wall of the hood will not be subjected to suction after they have been projected into said zone;

The invention exemplifies an air cleaner which is extremely simple in construction, has

been found t0 be efficient in operation, and j which can be produced at a low cost. inasmuch as there are no moving parts and the device consists of very few parts.

The invention is notto be understood as restricted to the details set forth, since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the splrit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In an air cleaner, the combination of an upwardly extending tubular element connected to an intake subjected to suction, and

having its upper end open, a hood having a closed top above the element and an annular depending wall spaced outwardly from said element and extended below the upper end of said element to forni between the element and the'hood, an upwardly extending inlet having its lower end open and through which air will be drawn upwardly into the hood and around said element, and ixed defiectors in said inlet to cause the air drawn into the lower end of the hood to swirl in the hoo'd in transit to the upper open end of the element and to cause the particles in the air to be thrown outwardly to the annular wall, the deflectors terminating inwardly of said wall to leave an annular space through which the trapped particles .may fall out of the hood.

2. In an air cleaner, the combination of 'an upwardly extending tubular element conneoted to an intake subjected to suction, and having its upper end open, a hood having a closed top above the element and an annular' depending wall spaced outwardly from said element and extended below the upper end of said element to forni between the element and thehood, an upwardly extending inlet having its lower end open and through which air will be drawn upwardly into the hood and around said element, a ring iined'on said element and provided with an annular series of deiectors in said inlet to cause the air drawn into the lower end of the hood to swirl in the hood in transit to the upper open end of the element and to cause the particles the air to be thrown outwardly to the annular wall.

3a ln an air cleaner, the combination @if an upwardly extending tubular nipple hav' its upper end open and its lower end pro vided with means for connection to ani subjected to suction, a hood having;` a c top above the nipple and an integral annulaidepending wall spaced outwardly from said nipple and extended below the upper end of said nipple to form between the nipple and the hood an upwardly extending inlet having its lower end open and through which air will be drawn upwardly into the hood and around said nipple, arms on the nipple to which the wall is secured, and a ring vfined on the upper end of the nipple and provided with integral deflectors in said inlet, to cause the air drawn into the lower end of the hood to swirl in the hood in transit to the upper open end of the nipple and to cause the particles in the air to be thrown outwardly to the annular wall, the delectors terminating inwardly of the wall to leave an annular space through which the particles will fall.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 20th day' of April, 1926.

ROY E. VATRO'US. 

